Electrical apparatus



L. s. KEiLHQLTZ ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 13,1926. 7 1,530,495

i l l lv JZYUEZYZE? April 13,1926. 1,530,495

L. S. KEILHOLTZ ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1924- 2 Sheets- 511091; 2

Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

unrrso STATES rarer Fries.

LESTER S. KEILHOLTZ, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-LIGHT COMPANY, OF

DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DEBA E/"ARE.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

. Application filed January 24., 1924. Serial No; 688,331.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lns'rnn S. KEILHOLTZ, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dayton county of Montgomery and $tate of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Apparatus,' of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to electrical generating plants in which a dynamo connected with an internal combustion engine operates as a motor to start the engine and as generator for charging a storage battery which supplies current to the motor.

In apparatus of this type it has been the practice to use a controller including a re verse current circuit breaker having contacts in the dynamo-battery circuit whi :h are held closed manually during the starting opera.- tion and which are held closed electro-magnetically after generator voltage has attained a certain value. When the engine stops, current flowing from the battery to the dynamo causes the contacts to be separated.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide the necessary torque for bringing the engine into motion from a state of rest, and thereafter provide for a starting operation at relatively high speed in order to cause the engine fuel to be drawn rapidly into the cylinder before condensation can take place, thereby facilitating the starting operation.

A further object is to improve the controller of the type'ret'erred to, so that the circuit-breaker contacts will be held closed electro-magnetically at a lower engine speed than heretofore possible.

In carrying out these objects, the dynamo is provided with shunt and series field windings. Th dynamo is operated as a cumulative compound motor to produce the torque required to turn the engine over, and then the series winding is rendered inoperative and the dynamo operates as a shunt motor to produce the desired cranking speed. lVhen theengine becomes sell operative and drives the dynamo as a generator, the dynamo operates immediately as a shunt machine and the breaker contacts in the dynamo-battery circuit will be held closed electromagnetically at a relatively low engine speed. a

Further objects and advantages ofggthe present invention will be apparent from-the following oescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of an internal combustion engine and a dynamo, partly in section, and connected with the engine together with a wiring diagram and a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, of a controller for the electrical system.

Fig. 2 is a. left side elevational view of the controller showing the operating elements in one position.

"Fig. 3 is a right side elevational view of the controller with the control element in the same position as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is the right side elevational View partly in section, showing one of the controller-s in an operative position while the other controller element is in the same position as that in Figs. 2 and 3.

v Fig.5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.-

Referring to the drawings, 20 is an internal combustion engine directly connected by a shaft 21 to an armature 22 of a dynamo Armature 22 is provided with a commutator 24 and brushes 25 and 26. Dynamo 28 also includes pole pieces 27 carrying a shunt field winding 28 connected with brushes 25 and 26, and connected with a series field winding 29, one end of which is connected to brush 26.

Ignition for the engine is provided by an ignition coil 30 inchiding a primary winding 31 which is connected at one end through the tuner 32 with wire 33 and at the other end to a wire 534i throng .tauce 35.

1i ignition res Coil 30 also includesa secondary winding 36' which is ground to the engine and connected with spark plug 37.

The controller 1 0 for the electric system includes an L-shaped frame ll of magnetic material supporting the magnetic core 4&2 and an armature post Post l3 supports a pivot-ally mounted armature a l. The mag netic circuit is formed by members 42, etl, 43, and 44:. Core i2 carries a. series magnetic winding 45, the ends of which are connected to terminals 46 and 4:7. The corev 42 also supports a shunt magnetic winding 48 connected at its end to terminals 49 and 50.

Terminal 47 is connected with a resilient conductor 51 carrying a contact 52 and a non-conducting block 53. Contact 52 1S arranged to engage a stationary contact 55 which is connected to the terminal '56. Armature i4 is provided with two projecting arms 57 and 58 by which said armature is pivotally mounted upon the post 43 by a fulcrum pin 59. ArmbS carries aroller 60 which engages the block 53 when the armature s t is moved upward in order to move contact 52 into engagement with contact 55.

A. resilient conductor 62 is connected with terminal 50 and has its outer end bent to form a contact 63, and carries a. non-co1r ducting block 64.

Contact 63 is normally in engagement with contact 66. A controlling lever 67 is also pivotally mounted by fulcrum pin 59 upon post i3 and carries a roller 68 which. is arranged to engage the block 6-l for moving the contact 63 out of engagement with contact 66.

Lever 67 is provided with a tongue 69 which is arranged to engage the under side of block 70 of non-conducting material which isn'iounted on the under side Of'armature 4e. Armature ad is provided with an operating handle or lever 72. Lever 6'? when pulled upwardly will cause contact 63 to separate from contact '66 and at the same time will rotate armature 4 L through tongue 69, causing contact 52 to engage contact 55. For a purpose to be described hereinafter, the lever 67 can be released and in sodoing it will return to the full line position by gravity augmented by a resilient conductor bearing upon roller 68, while the armature 4A can be maintained in its raised position at which contacts 52 and are closed through the lever 7 2.

A resilient conductor T-l is mounted directly upon frame 41 and is located within the-range of movement of conductorbl and is engaged thereby when contacts 52 'and'55 are closed. Terminals 4E6, e9, 50, 47, 56, and.

a terminal 76, to which contact 66 is connected, are all insulated from frame 41.

ii storage battery is provided in the electric system which is adapted to furnish current to the dynamo when functioning as a motor when cranking the engine, and is adapted to be charged by the dynamo when said dynamo functions 'asa generator. Controller 40 controls thecircuit between the dynamo and the battery 80. The controller also controls the ignition circuit. Connection between these elements are 'as follows: Dynamo brush 25 is connected by wire 81, with one side ofthe battery. The other side of the battery is connected with controller terminal 56 by wire 82. Controller terminals 50 and 56 are connected by a bus bar 83. Terminal 50 is connected to series'field Winding 29 of dynamo 23 by wire 84: and dynamo brush 26 is connected by a wire 85 to terminal 7 6. Resilient contact 7 is connected by a terminal 87 and wire 34: to one side of the ignition coil, and wire 33 of the ignition -circuit is'connec'ted with wire 8 1. Controller terminal 49 is connected by wire 88 with wire 81 The operation of the device is as follows: To start the engine, the lever 67 is pulled upward to rotate armature ll whereby conbe noted that while contacts 63 and 66 are separated current cannot flow from brush 26 through wire 85, thence through terminal 76, contacts 66 and 63, conductor 62 and terminal 5O thence through the battery, therefore the current must pass over the series field winding 29 as'described. Dynamo 23 must therefore function as a compound wound motor, the shunt winding 23 being connected atfall times across brushes 25 and Ignition for the engine is also completed when lever 67 is pulled upward through the following circuits: wire 81, wire 33, timer 32, primary winding 31, ignition resistance 35, wire 34L, terminal 87, contact 74, conductor 51, terminal 47, winding 45, terminal 46, and Wire 82.

When the engine is at rest a relatively high torque is necess ry for starting same, therefore the series field winding is provided. After the engine has been moved from static condition a smaller amount of power is usually necessary for cranking. The shunt winding alone will produce a field of sufficientstrength to operate the dynamo as a motor for cranking the engine. Therefore, after the engine has been moved from its static condition the series field winding 28 can be rendered inoperative. in order to maintainconnection with the armature 22 shunt windings 23 and to render the seriesfield winding 29 inoperative, the armature 44 is held in its upward position by lever 72, and the lever 67 can then be re leased which will cause contact 63 to reengage contact 66 to effect the short circuit for the series field winding 29. Current will then pass from brush 26 over wire 85, contacts '66 and 63, conductor 62, terminal 50, thence, as previously described, to the battery. After the series winding 29 has been short circuited the speed of the motor will increase because of the reduction in field strength, whereby the engine is cranked faster and, asis well understood, will start more readily.

1 iii) During the engine cranking operation the magnetic effects of the series winding on controller 40 opposes the magnetic effect produced by shunt winding 48, whereby Winding 48 is rendered ineffective for holding the armature 44 closed. However, after the engine becomes self operative and attains sufficie nt speed the effects of winding 45 will be reduced whereby armature 44 will be held in attracted position by winding 48. The lever 72 can be then released.

A switch is provided in the ignition circuit which when operated will interrupt the current flowing from primary winding 31, and likewise render the engine 20 inoperative as a prime mover. The current will then be reversed and tend to flow toward the dynamo and drive same as a motor. lVhen this occurs there will also be a reversal of current in the series -magnet winding 45 which will tend to create magnetism in opposition to that created by the shunt w1nding 48. hen this occurs, the attractive forces upon the armature 44 will not be sufficient to maintain said armature closed, whereby the armature will fall out and the engine cranking circuit will be interrupted by the separation of contact 52 from contact 55.

In order to take care of the variation in reluctance in the magnetic path which includes members 42, 41, 43, and 44, due to manufacture of these elements and the coils, and in order that the armature will bereleased from its attracted position at a predetermined ampere in the Winding 45, an adjustable pole-piece 92 is provided which can be adjusted to increase or decrease the air gap between post 43 and armature 44. Pole-piece 92 is held in adjusted posltion by bolts 94, said bolt being also adapted to maintain pin 59 in position. Bolt 94 is provided with a groove 95 adapted to receive pin 59 and when said bolt 94 is pulled upwardly by a nut 96 it will clamp pin 59 in fixed p0siti0n..

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the present invention has ad vantages over that type of system in which as a compound wound motor to crank the engine, and in which, after the engine becomes self operative, drives the dynamo as a generator and before the series field can be rendered inoperative, there is a reversal of current in the series field to oppose the shunt field whereby generating field strength is reduced. In such a system it is necessary that the engine be operated at a relatively high speed in order that the generator will overcome the battery E. M. F. and the circuit breaker contacts will be maintained closed electromagnetically. In the present invention the dynamo series field winding can be rendered inoperative as soon as the engine starts to turn over, therefore, when the engine becomes self operative and the dynamo starts to generate, there will be no series field to buck the shunt field and cut down the voltage. Therefore the circuit breaker contacts will be held closed electromagnetically at relatively low engine speed.

Practically as soon as the engine starts firing the lever 72 can be released. The operator need not wait until a certain high generating speed is obtained before removing the hand from the, controller as in the case where the series field remains operative until the operator releases the controller.

The construction of the present invention which provides this advantage also gives the other advantage referred to, namely, good initial starting torque and, thereafter, a relatively high speed cranking operation to facilitate starting.

lVhile the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electrical generating system comprising in combination, an engine; a dynamo connected therewith, said. dynamo being adapted to operate as av motor for cranking the engine and as a generator driven by the engine, said dynamo including starting and running windings; and means for controlling said windings including a device for controlling the running Winding during engine cranking operation, another mechanically operated device for rendering the starting windings operative for the initial engine cranking operation, said second mentioned device being operative to actuate the first mentioned device, said first mentioned device having means for manually maintaining same in the position effected by the second mentioned device, and an electrically operated device for maintaining the second device in circuit operating position.

2. An electrical generating system comprising in combination, an engine; a dynamo connected therewith, said dynamo being adapted to operate as a motor forcranking the engine and as a generator driven by the engine, said dynamo including starting and running windings; and a. unitary switch structure including means for manually rendering either the starting or running winding operative for motoring operation, and electrically operated means for maintaining the running winding operative during generating operation.

3. An electrical system comprising, in combination, an internal combustion engine; a dynamo operable as a: motor to crank the engine or as a generator, said dynamo having shunt and series windings; a battery charged by the dynamo; and a controller having contacts in the dynamo-battery circuit, a lever for causing the series field to assist the shunt field whereby to start the engine with high torque, an armature actuated by the lever for closing the contacts wl'iereby thedvnamo operates as motor, a

second lever tor holding the armature in contact closing position while permitting the first lever to be released to render the series field inoperative, and electromagnetic means responsive to battery charging for holding;

the arniature in contact closing position.

4-. An electrical generating system com pr ing; in combination, an engine; a dynamo connected therewith, said dynamo being ada'ited to operate as a motor for c 'ankin l A a the engine and as a generator driven by the engine, said dynamo including starting and running; windings; and a unitary switch structure having two i'iianually operable handles each for rendering one of tl'ie'dynamo windings operative, means whereby moven'ient ot the handle to produce eliective operation of the starting winding causes movement of the other handle to render'the running winding operative and causes the ie ntly release the first handle while maintaining the second handle in the position into which 1t was moved by the first handle,

and electrical means for maintaining the running winding operative during the generating operation.

5. ran electrical "generating system comprising in combination, an engine; a dynamo connected therewith, said dynamo being adapted to operate as a motor for cranking the engine am; as a generator driven by the engine, said dynamo including starting and running windings; and a. unitary switch structure having two coaxially pivoted handles each for rendering one. of the dynamo windings operative, means whereby moveuiieut oil. the handle to produce effective operation or the starting winding causes movement of the other handle to render the running winding operative and causes th handles to become adacent, the last specified handle extending further from its fulcrum than the other whereby the operator may conveniently release the tirst handle while maintaining the second handle in the position into which it was moved by the operation of the first handle, an armature connected with the second handle and an electromagnet responsive to generator output tor maintaining the second handle in position to maintain the running winding operative.

In towlnony whereof 1 hereto afiix my signature.

LESTER S. KEILHOLT7. 

